Life expectancy, which is meant for humans only, denotes the average expected years one may live. It varies with era and region. Any type of surgery is always a risk for life expectancy. But what if you need to remove an essential part of your body, like the leg. Hence comes the fear of losing your life. Life expectancy after Leg Amputation is a burning question before you go through the surgery room.
I forgot to mention what amputation is. Pardon me, please. Think of it as you are driving a motorcycle and you were hit by a bus or something that creates pain, unlimited pain in your limb, and you need foot surgery. In the meantime, the Doctor told you to get rid of your leg for the betterment of the future. So, this whole thing about getting rid of your leg or portion of it surgically can be expressed in one word – Leg Amputation. So, in short, for somewhat reason, you need to remove your lower-limb – That’s it.
The question is why people need to lose their leg voluntarily. The answer is a little bit complex. Because no one wants to lose their feet without any reason, you must have a reason for removing your leg. Whatever the reason is, you must have taken a risk while going through the surgery. You must also need to consult with a specialist doctor before going through the procedure.
Leg Amputation is not an easy thing to decide. One only goes through it when one does not have any option. Leg Amputation is one of the last suggestions the Doctor will provide you with because no one wants to lose their leg permanently. Through Feet Surgery, one may get a new life for which he needs to thank God and modern inventions. Life expectancy after leg amputation should be called a heavenly gift from the creator.
Life Expectancy After Leg Amputation
As they say, it can be stated that lower-limb surgery may lead you to life or death. Usually, if you can live the first 30 days after the surgery, then you should be safe for quite a while. Though senior citizens, along with others with various diseases, may face difficulties after the operation. They should consult with the Doctor before the surgery about what medications they used for various occasions. They should be open with the Doctor on this matter. The Doctor will then know which type of method he needs to follow to ensure their life-saving chances.
The reason behind it may be of tumor or severe infection that may lead you to permanent amputation of your lower-limb. Life expectancy after leg amputation should be considered as one of the toughest guesses one would take while held under the operation table. Some may pray, others will believe in Science about their next one and half an hour.
How long does leg Amputation Surgery Take?
Removal of the leg is a challenging procedure for an average person. Because many become traumatic, some get depressed, whether some miss the old lifestyle. But it is true that one needs to move on to the new life journey whether they like it or not. The preparation takes a while for sure. But the actual surgery may last less or more than an hour, and it won’t be more than two hours. It may differ on the basis and requirements of the surgery prescribed by the Doctor.
But make sure the preparation and finishing are preplanned because there must be someone responsible for you. Be sure someone will be there for you in case anything is required. You will have pain, and the Doctor may give you a painkiller or other medicines to alleviate your pain. You might be senseless for a while after the operation. You may even need counseling. Arrange them before the surgery. At least take someone with you who is responsible enough.
Better late than never is the main concept here. Leg Amputation can’t cheat death but can delay the time for it. Luck has something here too.
Foot Amputation Types
Through the injury or the pain, one needs to remove a specific part or the whole of the leg. Foot amputations typically denote the toes amputation, which also can be classified into different types. We won’t go through the detail here. We will discuss other But there are other lower-limb amputations such as –
Transtibial Amputations:
Ankle to the knee or knee to the ankle amputation is typically known as Transtibial Amputations. This is also known as below-knee amputation.
Knee Disarticulation Amputations:
Amputation at the knee joint is regarded as Knee Disarticulation Amputation.
Transfemoral Amputations:
This is just the opposite of Transtibial Amputation, meaning above-knee amputation.
Hip Disarticulation Amputations:
Amputation that relates with the hip along with the thigh is called Hip Disarticulation Amputations.
What Happens If You Refuse Amputation?
It is often about a life or death situation while you need to consider amputation over your pain or infection. The Doctor can provide you with an amputation solution mainly for two reasons –
- Having an infection or complexity may threaten your life.
- Leg not working as it should be for some accident, you may still live with that, but amputation and then Prosthesis may cover this up better.
Flap Loss:
You may face flap loss in case of refusing amputation. It may create quite a hassle for you.
Graft Loss:
Graft means part of your organ. So, you may lose functionality to a particular organ or parts of it.
Infection:
Infection is one of the irritating problems you need to deal with first. It may lead you to death within a short time. Most people need to go through an operation to get rid of the infection.
Numbness:
You may feel numb on some organs of your body as they lose functionality as time passes.
Mental illness:
If someone recovers from a similar problem after amputation, you may feel depressed about your wrong decision. Mental support is essential in these cases.
Death:
Ultimately, it may lead you to death if there is no cure invented overnight for your particular problem, no matter what it is.
Recovery from Leg Amputation
Recovery after losing the leg could be traumatic. One must recover not only physically but also mentally. Physical healing will take place within 4 to 8 weeks based on Doctor’s suggestion. But the mental illness is the main culprit here. You will always be remembered about how you were and what you would do if you had legs fully functional. It would be best if you got rid of your mental illness. Think as if you never had legs.
To keep your recovery futureproof, you may read the following, which is specially made for you:
- Use of Artificial legs (Prosthesis)
- Follow the Doctor’s guidelines accurately.
- Getting used to with Artificial legs or assistive services
- Gaining control over body and mind
Survival Rate after Leg Amputation
It matters on why your leg is amputated, actually. Because if you are young and your leg is amputated for accident purposes while having no diseases whatsoever, you should be fine in most cases. But if you are middle-aged or old, then the survival rate after leg amputation is low enough. If you have diabetics, then it is the worst condition ever because the mortality rate on diabetic patients after leg amputation is very high.
However, the first month is the most challenging time. If one can move on with the first month, then most probably, one would be fine. But for patients with other diseases, they should watch it out for a year. If they can get it through with the first year, they should be fine for quite a while. But it is better not to hope for previous life expectancy after Leg Amputation.
So, in short, the first year is catchy. If you can cheat death for the first year, you would live for quite a good time. The first month and then the first year is hard to survive, and a year is an excellent time to rehabilitate one with the new lifestyle with or without the artificial leg.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Do Amputees Have a Shorter Life Expectancy?
Amputees have a shorter life expectancy due to the many physical and psychological complications that come with having an amputation.
Some of these complications include:
- Mobility issues-It is hard for amputees to move around as they are not able to use their prosthetic limbs. They may need help in daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and going to the bathroom. This can lead to depression, anxiety, anger, and even thoughts of suicide.
- Pain-It is difficult for amputees to handle pain because they do not have their original limb anymore, which leads them into a cycle of opioid addiction.
- Lifestyle changes- The lifestyle changes that come with an amputation can cause amputees grief, including difficulty finding a job or housing and embarrassment from friends and family members who may find it difficult dealing with an amputee at home or workplace.
What Causes Death After Amputation?
There are many causes of death after amputation. Some common causes include:
- Gangrene- if the blood supply to the affected area is not enough, the tissue will die and decompose due to lack of oxygen.
- Blood clots- if a blood clot forms around an amputated part, it can cut off circulation and cause tissue death.
- Infection- infection can spread rapidly through bacteria or viruses in the body. The bacteria or virus may get into the bloodstream from open wounds on your skin that were caused by your surgery or from sores on your mouth or gums.
- Thrombosis- thrombosis is when a blood clot forms in a vein and blocks it so that you cannot get blood flow to an organ like your heart, brain, or kidneys, leading to organ failure and death.
Does Leg Amputation Qualify for Disability?
Yes, Leg Amputation is a disability, and the Social Security Administration will give you benefits for it. A disability is an impairment that affects your ability to do basic life activities like walking, seeing, hearing, talking, breathing, or moving.
Conclusion
I hope you have gone through all the following above, and you already know what to do and what not to do. Based on the disease, or infection, or accident, you may have a choice to remove your lower-limb. However, if the condition is infectious, the Doctor must take action against it to make you survive for longer life.
But the Doctor will also let you know about the pros and cons of it. Sometimes, with infection, you may live up to 2-3 months, but after the leg amputation, your life may be shortened up to one month or lengthened up to a year or more. Luck always plays a critical role here, even if you don’t believe it or not. So, it is always your or sometimes your family member’s decision(if you are senseless for quite a while) and authority to remove your lower-limb.
